Railway-crossing-gate signal



Patented Aug. 22, 1921i mi. MERCE. RAILWAY CROSSING GATE SIGNAL.

' APPLICATION FILED F-EvB- I7' 1922. IIAQISQ);

RALPH Ff. IPFE-RUE, 0F ZBF', LLINUIS.

niaasae;

Specification ei Letters Patent.

rented ling., 22, i922.

Application lecl February 17, 1922. Serial lo. 537,169.

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, RALPH E. Finnon, a citizen or the United States oitAmerica, and a resident oiifion, in the county ot Lake and State oiIllinois, have invented a, certain new and useful improvement in RailHway-CrossingGate Signals, oit which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an illuminated signal attachment for railwaygrade crossing gates of the swinging arm type, and has for its object:

To provide a structural formation and association of parts andmechanisms whereby an automatic shifting or turning of a signal lamptrom a highway signalling position to railway track signalling positionand vice versa, is eiifectively attained by the upward and the downwardswinging movement of the gate arm carrying the signal lamp, all as willhereinafter more Jliully appear. i

ln the accompanying drawing Fig. l is a perspective view illustrating infull lines the signalling appliance in a lowered position displaying alight signal in the direction of the highway, and in dotted lines theappliance in a raised position displaying the light signal direction orthe railway tracks.

Fig. 2, is a detail side elevation ot the appliance in its raisedposition.

Fig 3, is a detail section of the sliding connection between the pendantlink and the suspension link'of the appliance.

Like reference numerals indicate like parts in the different views.

Referring to the drawing, l designates a portion or one of thevertically swinging pair of arms of an ordina-ry safety gate for railwaycrossings, carrying near its free end a lined lateral stem or shaft 2,the Ylires end of which carries a crank arm 3 as shown.

et designates a pendant link journalled at its upper end on the shaft 3aforesaid, and having at its lower end a lateral flange 5 termed with aguide slot 6 for the purpose hereinafter stated.

7 designates a spirally formed suspension link, the spiral 8 oi' whichis formed midway the length thereof and preferably with a quarter twistas shown. At its upper end the suspension link 7 is connected to thefree end of the crank arm 3, preterably in a resilient manner and bymeans of an interposed spiral spring 9, while at ond said link isprovided with a i; l0, or other like means for dee g @agement andsupport andle or ban or a signal lantern ll, which used in thepresentimprovement is of the ordinary double lens type shown.

ln an assembled condition or the parts, the suspension link I passesthrough the slot 6 oit the pendant link i and has movement therein, andthe operation of the mechanism is as follows:-

lilith the gate arm l in the vertical polsition shown in dotted lines inFig. l, andV in full lines in Fig. 2, the spiral portion 8 of thesuspension link 7 is at a point above the guide slot 6 of the pendantlink fl, with the lenses of the signal lantern 11 pointing in thedirection of the railway tracks with a descent of' the gate arm to ahorizontal position across the highway, the spiral portion 8 of the link7 is gradually drawn through the slot 6 ot the pendant link i by theweight of the lantern 1l and accessories, in that the tree end of thecrank arm 3 moves towards the point of engagement of the link 7 and slotG oi the link 4:, and so that as said crank arm nears a horizontalplane, the spiral portion 8 ot the link i' will reach a position belowthe lateral flange 5 of the link l and in so doing will impart a quarterrevolution to said suspension link and lantern 1l, bringing the lensesoi said lantern in the direction of the highway to give ay visibleindication of danger to passing persons and vehicles.`

1 2 designates a casing or housing secured to the pendant link l andadapted to enclose the mechanism from the weather, etc.

Having thus fully described my invention, what l claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is :-A

l. ln a signal appliance ot the type described, the combination ot avertically swinging gate arm, a suspension link pivotally connecte-d tosaid arm and provided at its lower end with means for supporting asignal lantern, a pendant link pivotally connected to the gate arm at apoint removed from the connection koic the suspension link, and anoperative connection between said links ior imparting a turning movementto the suspension link in unison with the movement oit the gate arm.

2. ln a signal appliance ot the type described, the combination o1c avertically swinging gate arm, a suspension link pivotein; i

scribed, the combination otl a vertically swinging gate arm, a crankmember iizredly attached to said arm, a suspension link connected to oneend 01"' the crank member and having a spiral 'formation intermediateits length and means at its lower end for the support of a signallantern, a pendant link pivoted to the other end of said crank memberand having at one end a slot for operative engagement with the spiralformation of the suspension link to impart a turning movement te thesuspension link and lantern in unison With the movement of the gate arm.

4L. In a signal appliance of the type described the combination of avertically swinging gate arm,a crank member xedly attached to said arm,a suspension lilik connected to one endof the crank member by anintermediate spring and having a spiral formation intermediate itslength .and means at its lovver end for the support of a signal lantern,a pendant link pivoted to the other end of said crank member and havingvat one end a slot forv operative engagement with the spiralformation ofthe suspension link to impart a turning movementto the suspension linkand lantern in unison with the movement of the gate arm.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois7 this 16th day of February, A. D. 1922.

RALPH'E.- PIERCE.

